Apparatus for extinguishing fires



Dec. 15, 1936. I v 'w TAPPE 2,064,278

APPARATUS -FOR EXTINGUISHING FIRES Filed Oct. l5, 1934 A mnlvey Patented Dec. 15, 1936 UNITED STATES PATEN'IV oFFicE Application October 15, 1934, Serial No. 748,288 In Rumania October 17, 1933 v claims. (el. 16a- 25) This invention relates to a device for extinguishing res, especially by means of foam, that is to'say by means of chemical substances developing a lm of bubbles which cover the burning objects and thus suiocate the flames.

An object of the invention is to provide a device by which it is possible to extinguish fires more rapidly and with greater accuracy than heretofore by guiding the extinguishing means,

e. g. foam, directly upon the burning objects, thus ensuring the best result with a minimum of extinguishing means.

This device consists of a tube, which can be lengthened to the desired extent by means of 1'5 some additional tubes screwed one to the other or by a telescopic construction of some tubes, which are so arranged that the one can slide within the other. In both casesk this elongated tube being provided with a mouth-piece at the .foremost end may be used as a hose for the extinguishing means, or a separate hose for the extinguishing means can be provided .within this outer tube or tubes. The tube structureis preferably made of a light but re-proof'material, so that it can be movedvthrough the flames up to the burning objects.

Another object of the invention is the provision of such a tube construction on a wheel base or carriage, on which it is arranged by means of a turntable and an upright jack or frame which itself is arranged on the turntable so that it can be tilted around a horizontal axis, thus rendering it possible to turn the tube into all directions and togive it any desired inclination.

Further objects of the invention and the useful effects attained therewith will be more clearly understood from the description hereinafter in connection with the drawing showing a preferred ponstruction as an example.

Fig. 1 shows a side elevation-of ai telescopic tube construction on acarriage.

Fig.` 2 is a plan view. In both figures the tube is extended to its working position or length. y Fig. 3 shows a front view of4 the construction partly in section along line III-III in Fig. 2.v Y Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section along the axis of ,the tubes. In this gure the tubes are shown' in their retracted position so that theA one lies within the other. The middle parts of the Vtubes are omitted.

Heretofore most of the .res are attacked by means of water which is directed from some distance to the burning objects, and in most casesa good result can be attained in this quantities can be thrown into the ames.

manner. It is not important that all water-' particles reach the burning objects, because the water-quantity is not limited so that even great However it is not possible to use water as extinguishing means in'all cases, but Ichemical means are to be used, if e. g. petroleum, gasoline or similar liquids and substances are burning. These chemical means in form of gases or foam are much more expensive than water, 10 and' consequently one should try to get the best extinguishing result with .a minimum of such expensive substances.

Furthermore it is known that burning tanks of petroleum, gasoline or the like develop a very 15 great heat, so that it is'not possible to stay near them. Furthermore there exists also the danger of explosions, so that the remen are exposed Ato great danger, if they remain at or go forward to a place from which they could 20 easily guide the streams of extinguishing means tothe burning objects or tanks. On the other hand, if they remain at a safe distance from the place of the re, they are not able with the means known up to now t'o guide the ex- 25 .tinguishing substances so that a good result can be attained with va minimum of these substances. v

The instant invention proposes a device with which it is possible to avoid al1 these drawbacks. 30

The invention proposes to pour the extinguishing means consisting of gases or foam derived lfrom chemical substances directly upon the burning objects, thus getting the useful effect, that the extinguishing' means have their great- 35 est efcienc'y, because they are not attacked or destroyed by the flames, through which they would pass, if they were spread as usually from some distance into the fire.

The principal feature of the invention con- 40 sists in the proposal not to' spirt or throw the extinguishing means into the ames but to directly pour them, even through the flames immediately upon the burning objects.

The means for performing this method is a 45 tube construction, which can be elongated to a certain length, which is made of fire-proof material, so that `it can be moved through the ilarnes,l and which is arranged on a suitable carrier, so that it mz y be easily turned into all di- 50 rections and inclined as necessary. This tube construction serves as a means for guiding the extinguishing means up to the burning objects. The firemen may then stay l5 or 20 meters from the burning objects, and yet have the possibility 55 of easily bringing the mouth-piece of the tube close to the burning. objects.

As shown in the drawing a carriage frame I, made of angle irons or the like, is supported Ion four wheels 2. '(The right-side wheels are omitted in Fig. 1 to show more clearly the parts lying behind them.)

On the carriage frame a pivot-pin 3 is `arranged to support a turntable 4, the outer pe'- riphery of which being provided with gear teeth 5. In bearings 6 on the frame I a shaft 1 is mounted, which in its middle-part is provided with a worm gear `8, beingin mesh with the teeth 5 of the turntable 4, so that the latter may be moved around its pivot 3, if the shaft 1 is turned or rotated by means of a crank 9 o1' the like.

At the rear side (if inthe normal straight position as indicated in the drawing) the turntable 4 carries bearings I0 for arranging a shaft I I horizontally, which serves as a turning axis for an upright strut or jack I2, which by means of rearwardly extending brackets I3 is connected to this axis. 'I'his strut or jack I2 has a frame-like structure as may be clearlyoseen from Fig. 3, and is so arranged that its centerline in the normal position is parallel to the axis of the pivot-pin 3. In the example shown this center-line lies somewhat in front of the axis of the pivot-pin. Any other suitable construction can also be used.

The shaft I I carries also a rearwardly extending counterweight I4 which is so formed (Fig. 1) that it can be freely moved over the wheels when the table 4 is turned to the right or the left. At the rearmost end of the counter-weight I4 two cable-drums I5 are arranged on a common shaft I6 which can be rotated by means of a crank I1. with one of their ends to the drums I5 are connected with their other ends to' the top of the crank I1 any known ratchet construction may be provided, so that it will be possible to stop the tilting movement of the jack at any desired point.

Consequently, by means of the crank 9 the Vtable 4 with the jackv or strut I2 can be rotated to any positionin a horizontal plane, the crank- I1 governing the inclination.

A tube 20 is provided and secured with its rear end to the horizontal cross-bar I9 of the frame-like jack I2. Near the front end of' this tube 20 a collar 2l is arranged with upright ears 22 at the outer sides, as may be clearly seen from Fig. 3. Connected with these ears 22 stay members or rods 23 are arranged, the other ends of which are fastened to the top of the jack I2, thus creating a rigid-triangular structure. 'Ihe tube 2U consequently will partake of all movements of the jack I2 in horizontal and perpendicular directions. Y

Telescopically arranged within this rst tube 26 two other tubes 24 and 25 are provided which may have nearly the same length-as the tube 20, so that the tube construction as illustrated may have a total-length of nearly fifteen meters if, for instance, tube 20 is made five meters long. It is understood that instead of three tubes like 2li, 24 and 25 also four or more tubes may be arranged in the same manner thus making va greater total-length if necessary. l

At the foremost end of tube 25 a mouth piece The cables I8 which are fastened 26 of any desired form may beapplied to which a hose 21 is connected lying within the tubes. This hose 21 can be introduced into the tubes by a hole 28 provided near the rearmost end of the tube 26, so that the hose can easily follow when the tubes are extended. The hose guides the extinguishing means to the mouth-piece from which it can be readily poured upon the burning objects.

Means are provided for extending the telescopically arranged tubes to the desired extent.

To the rearmost ends of the inner tubes 24 and 25 collars 28 and 29 are secured, which serve as means to connect cables 30 and 3I thereto. At the front ends of the tubes 20 and 24 rollers 32 and 33 are arranged by means of brackets 34 and 35 and horizontal pins 36 and 31. These rollers 32 and 33 serve as guiding means for the cables 30, 3|, the-other ends of which are connected to winding @drums 38 and 39 respectively, which are supported on horizontally arranged shafts in the frame-like jack or strut I2. By means of cranks (not shown) these shafts and consequently the drums 38 and 39 may be rotated so that the cables 30 and 3l are wound. In view of the fact that by winding these cables their length becomes smaller it will be understood that the tubes are moved outwardly up to the desired extent.

To further strengthen the structure two other cable-drums 40 and 4 I are arranged within the jack I2 above the drums 36 and 39 and parallel to the sa'me. These drums 46 and 4I can be rotated also by means of cranks to wind cables 42 and 43, the front ends of which are connected to ears 44 and 45 at the sides of collars 46 and 41 fastened to the front ends of the tubes 24 and 25. By spanning these cables 42 and 43 the elongated tube structure will obtain the necessary rigidity.

'I'he device operates as follows:

Assuming that the carriage I with the jack I2 and the tube 2D are. in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, but that the tubes 24 and 25 are in their'rearmost position as shown in Fig. 4,

i and that the deviceis brought near the place of the burning tank of petroleum or gasoline or of any other burning object, then the drums 3B and.Vv 39 are-rotatedatrst with the-corresponding cranks, so that the tubes 24 and 25 will be moved out of the tube 20, thereby carrying the mouthpiece 26 forwardly as far as possible. The hose 21 connected to the mouth follow.

By rotating the cranks 9 and I1 'the tube structure can be rotated and elevated v to any desired position so that the mouth-piece comes immediately above the burning objects. By rotating the drums 40 and 4I the cables 42 and 43 are spanned so that they hold the tubes in their working position.

Now the valves or cocks can be opened so that the chemical substances forming the extinguishing gas or foam may flow. through the hose 21 to the mouth-piece 26 and from there directly upon theburning objects.

For retracting the tubes 24 and 25 into the tube 20 it will only be necessary to rotate the drums 33 and 39 in the reverse direction, because the gravity will be sucient for returning them. The rotation of the cranks 9 and. I1 in the reverse direction will also bring the jack vto its normal position.

piece will 'I'he device is particularly advantageous if `75 used the drawbacks will be lessened whichcony sistespecially in the damages created not by the re itself but'by'the large quantities of water used for extinguishing purposes and flowing to all sides.

The same good result can" be also obtained, if insteadof the telescopic structure as described and illustrated several tubes are used, which are screwed one to the other. The details will be nearly the same as those illustrated. Differences 1 exist only in so far as the cables 30, 3l and the corresponding cable drums 38, 39 may be omitted, and as such a tube structure may be used without a separate hose, because the screw-connection will be tight enough for leading the chemicals directly therethrough.

Having now described my invention, what I claim is:

1. An apparatus for extinguishing fires by means of foam forming substances comprising a tube of reproof material, said tube being adapted to be elongated, a jack adapted to be swung arou'nd a horizontal and around a vertical axis, means for elongating said tube and'means for staying-said tube, the rear end of said tube and said elongating and said staying means mounted on said jack, a mouth-piece at the frontv end of said tube, an aperture in the side wall 1f said tube near its rear end, a hose inserted into said tube `through said aperture, and being connected with its one end to said mouth-piece within said tube whereby the entire length or the hose from said aperture to said mouth-piece is protected by'said tube.

2. An apparatus for extinguishing res, particularly by means of foam forming substances, comprising a, setv of coaxial tubes, telescopically extendable, a jack adapted to be swung about a horizontal and about a vertical axis, means for extending said telescopic tubes, means for staying said telescopic tubes, the rear end of the outermost of said tubes and said extending means and said staying means being attached to said jack, a mouth-piece at the front end of the innermost of said tubes, an aperture in said outermost tube `near its rear end, and a hose inserted into said tubes through said apertureA and being connected `with its one end to said mouth-piece within-said innermost tube,- whereby the entire length of the hose from said aperture to said ymouth-piece is protected by said tubes.

3. In an apparatus of the character described, a setof telescopic tubes', a jack member in rigid connection with the rear end of the outermost of said tubes and swingably mounted about a4 horizontal axis, a stay member attached to the said pull members being guided at the front.

end of the tube enclosing theA tube to which the pull member is attached, means for pulling said flexible members towards points of said jack member remote from the rear end' of said y outermost tube, a mouth-,piece attached to said innermost tube, and a hose attached to saidA mouth-piece and extending through all of said Jtubes.

4. 'In an apparatus of the character described, a tubular member, a stay member, a structural member, said three members being connected -to each other to form. a ,rigid triangle, said triangle being swingable about a horizontal axis near its corner formed by said tubular member and said structural member, said structural member extending'upwardly when said tubular l member is in its horizontal position, a tubular ."extension of said tubular member at the latters end remote from said structural member, a flexible staying means attached .to the front end of said tubular extension, means for pulling said staying means 'towards a point of said structural member, remote from said tubular member, a mouth-piece attached to the front end of said tubular extension, and a hose extending through said tubular member and said tubular extension, and.being attached to sai mouth-piece.

5. In an apparatus of the character described, a set of telescopic tubes, a stay member, a structural member, the outermost of said telescopic i tubes, said staylmember and-said structural member being connected to each other to form a rigid triangle, said triangle being swingable about a horizontal axis vnear its corner formed by the rear end of said outermost tube and said structural member, said structural member extending upwardly when said outermost tube is in its horizontal position, flexible staying means attached to the front end of 'at least one of the inner telescopic tubes, means for extending said telescopic tubes, means for pulling said staying means towards a point of said structural member remote from said outermost tube, a mouthpiece attached to the front end of the innermost telescopic tube, and a hose attached to said mouth-piece, and extending throughl all said telescopic tubes.

6. In an apparatus of the character described, a set of telescopic tubes including an outermost tube, an innermost tube and `at least one intermediate tube, a structural member, a 'stay member, said outermost tube, said structural member and said stay member being connected to' each other to form a rigid triangle, said triangle being swingable about a horizontal axis near its corner formed by said outermost tube and said sturctural member, said structural member extending upwardly when said outermost tube is in its horizontal position, a first collar and a second collar in rigid connection with said intermediate tube near its rear end and its front end respectively, a llexible member attachedto said rst collar 'for extending said intermediate tube, guiding means for said flexifA blemember at the front end of the tube enclosing said intermediate tube, a flexible stay? ing member attached to said second collar,

means for pulling saidexible members towards points of said structural 'member remote from vsaid outermost .tuoefa mouth-piece attached WiLHELM TAPPE. 

